Record and controversies

SCHip Bills In 2007, Congress took up the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides health care for about 6 million children and 670,000 adults from families who earn too much money qualify for Medicare but not enough to afford health insurance. Congressional Democrats and many Republicans tried to use the opportunity to dramatically expand the program but were opposed by President George W. Bush and other Republicans. In 2006, 5.4 million children were eligible but not enrolled in SCHIP or Medicaid and 9.4 million total children were uninsured.

Dreier voted AGAINST the first House bill, which passed along party lines. It would have added $47 billion over five years to the $25 billion cost of the program and added about 5 million people to the program, including children, some legal immigrants, pregnant women and adults aged 18 and 19. The bill was financed mainly by an increase in cigarette taxes.

House Democrats, with 45 Republicans, later compromised and passed a bill which expanded the plan by $35 billion and would have insured about 3.5 million more children from families generally making between 250% and 300% of the federal poverty line (about $51,000 to $62,000 for a family of four). Most non-pregnant, childless adults were excluded, as were most legal immigrants and all illegal immigrants. DREIER voted AGAINST the bill.

After President Bush vetoed the bill, Democratic leaders attempted to override the veto with the same bill but failed. DREIER voted AGAINST the bill.

House Democrats then attempted to override it with another bill, which gave into Republican demands for increased checks for citizenship, the quick phasing-out of adult coverage, a hard limit of 300% of the federal poverty level and funding for families that covered their children through private insurance instead. Republicans, angry that the vote was scheduled during massive fires in California, blocked the veto override. DREIER voted ABSTAINED the bill. For details on the bills and the debate, see the main State Children's Health Insurance Program page.

Environmental record

Recycling project

On March 5, 2007, the House passed H.R.122 - To authorize the Secretary of Interior to participate in recycling projects, sponsored by Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.), to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Inland Empire regional recycling project and in the Cucamonga Valley Water District recycling project. $10 million of federal funding was authorized for the project. The bill was passed through a voice vote. [2][3]

Dreier "outed" in 2004 election

In the fall of 2004, Dreier was formally "outed" in print by journalist Doug Ireland in an alternative newspaper, L.A. Weekly, in its issue of September 24-30, 2004.[1][2] The L.A. Weekly reported that Dreier has had a romantic relationship with his longtime (male) chief of staff, Brad W. Smith, who collects a $156,600 government salary for his services to Dreier. Smith collects the highest possible salary allowed by law for a committee staff member,[3], and is reportedly the highest-paid chief of staff working for any House of Representatives committee chair. ("By comparison," wrote Ireland, "the chief of staff to the chair of the House Judiciary Committee makes $126,000, while the chief of staff to the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee makes just $100,696.")[4][5][6]

The "outing" was a result of Dreier coming under increasing scrutiny from gay rights groups because of what they characterize as an anti-gay voting record in Congress, which includes support of the Defense of Marriage Act (signed by President Bill Clinton), as well as votes against gay adoption, and against inclusion of homosexuality as a protected status in hate crime and employment discrimination legislation. As with all "outings" of allegedly anti-gay politicians, the question has arisen as to whether, if the rumors are true, the politician's record reflects hypocrisy, or whether the sexual orientation of politicians is an irrelevant private matter and the "anti-gay" votes merely reflected the wishes of constituents.

Dreier's 1998 and 2000 Democratic opponent, Janice Nelson, came forward to claim that his relationship to Smith had been an open secret for many years. His 2004 opponent, Cynthia Matthews, came out of the closet and demanded that Dreier do the same. Dreier did not publicly respond to these charges, which were discussed on local radio programs in his district. At the time, the mainstream U.S. print media did not pick the story up (although the controversy was later, in June 2005, addressed in the British press [7] after it was announced that British prime minister Tony Blair's son Euan would work as an unpaid intern for Dreier's committee during the summer of 2005).

In the midst of the controversy, Dreier voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment on September 30, 2004. He explained his opposition to the amendment by stating that he felt the United_States_Constitution was not the appropriate tool for restricting rights.

Immigration

While being hit from the left on issues of his sexuality, Dreier was also attacked during the 2004 campaign from the right. Some radio talk show hosts viewed as his support for a lax policy on curbing illegal immigration.[8] Dreier was accused of not supporting reimbursement of expenses incurred by state and local governments to serve illegal immigrants, supporting increases in the numbers of H1B visas allowed for skilled workers, not acting effectively enough in obtaining the extradition of a suspect who allegedly killed a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputy, and supporting amnesty for illegal immigrants.

NRCC FEC complaint agianst "John and Ken Show"

The National Republican Congressional Committee filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against one radio talk show (The "John and Ken Show," on Los Angeles station KFI) alleging that the hosts, employees of Clear Channel Communications, were engaging in an illegal contribution to Dreier's 2004 oppononent, Cynthia Matthews's, campaign. The hosts held regular anti-Dreier rallies at his Glendora field office, had Matthews on frequently to discuss her positions on immigration, and dissected statements made by Dreier to other media outlets. While Dreier was not the originator of the complaint, and disavowed orchestrating the complaint, many political analysts suspected Dreier's involvement as an attempt to muzzle two critical talk radio hosts. The hosts continued the allegedly infringing activity through the election and as of September 28, 2005, the FEC has not taken any action against the hosts or the station. In an interview on KABC's Doug McIntyre program, Dreier denied the charges regarding immigration. [9]

DeLay's Interim Replacement

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, indicted September 28, 2005, by a Texas grand jury, charged with "conspiracy in a campaign finance scheme," was forced to step down and "temporarily relinquish his post." [10]

Although the Associated Press originally reported on September 28, 2005, that Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert intended to recommend Representative David Dreier of California was to "take over DeLay's duties," Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, after a closed-door meeting, "unanimously elected Roy Blunt of Missouri as their majority leader." Republicans said that "Blunt's position was an interim arrangement for the rest of the year and that he would share leadership responsibilities with Rep. David Dreier of California," Reuters reported.

According the Washington Post, "Dreier has a more moderate voting record on some social issues than DeLay, for example opposing a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage that DeLay supported,"[11].

Bio

Dreier was born July 5, 1952 in Kansas City, Missouri. His family continues to be active in real estate development; he is Vice President of Dreier Development Company in Kansas City. He graduated with a BA from Claremont Men’s College (now Claremont McKenna College) in 1975 and an MA from the Claremont Graduate School in 1976. He was director of corporate relations for Claremont McKenna College before entering the House in 1981. According to Roll Call magazine, Dreier has a personal fortune in excess of $7.5 million.[12]

Dreier has served as chairman of the powerful House Committee on Rules since 1999. He has also served as chairman of California's Republican Congressional Delegation since 2001.

"He is a frequent face on television talk shows, particularly after serving as one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's top supporters when the actor ran for governor in 2003. ... Dreier remains among Schwarzenegger's top Capitol Hill allies, and on the governor's trips to Washington the two smoke cigars together in Dreier's Rules Committee office in the Capitol," The Associated Press' Erica Werner wrote. "Skilled at one-on-one politics -- he seems never to forget a name -- Dreier maintains a reliably conservative voting record on economic issues. He never comes off as extreme," adds Werner wrote.

Throughout his early Congressional service, Dreier established a record as a strong supporter of tax cuts and of Ronald Reagan's anti-Communist foreign policy. One of the youngest as well as the first Californian Rules Chairman in history, David Dreier plays a pivotal role in fashioning legislation promoting Republican Party positions on Social Security, child education, taxes, and national security.

Locally Dreier is well known for supporting institutions such as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Metro Gold Line, and advocates for transportation improvements such as railroad grade separations and highway expansion.

2006 Election

On October 2, 2005, Dreier announced he would run for re-election. Flanked by the mayor of the city of San Dimas, California and the Los Angeles County Sheriff, Dreier will campaign on a platform on being tough on illegal immigration, supporting the War on Terror, and supporting harsher penalties for those who commit crimes against law enforcement. The Democrats nominated Cynthia Matthews to face Dreier in his November 2006 bid for reelection. (See U.S. congressional elections in 2006) [13] Dreier retained his seat.